Reinforcement of aluminum alloy with rice husk bio-coke

Carbon fibers have been widely used as the reinforcements for improving the mechanical, thermal and wear properties of aluminum alloys. However, the high cost of carbon fibers and the large amount of CO₂ emissions generated during their production are significant problems. To address these issues, this study focuses on bio-coke (BIC) derived from plants and waste materials. By using carbonized BIC as an alternative carbon-based material, it is expected to reduce both the cost and carbon footprint during composite production process. In this study, rice-husk BIC was carbonized at different temperatures, then the carbonized BIC was infiltrated with the aluminum alloy melt to fabricate the composite, and then the microstructures and properties were evaluated. Based on the optical and scanning electron microscopy, elemental mapping analysis and hardness test, a carbonized temperature of 973 K was determined to be optimal.